Mystique (25 page)

"Luc, for
heaven's sake." Misty pushed against his chest with one hand, trying to
keep her blouse from riding up with the other.

James laughed.
"Relax, my dear. A man always likes to hold the woman he loves.
Occasionally I still chase Althea around the house."

"It's
true," Luc's mother admitted readily. "But we never cavort in front
of the hired help," she added sternly. She beamed at Misty. "Don't
worry, my dear. You only have day help."

"See?"
Luc said in dulcet tones, his eyes alight with amusement as he looked down at
her spread across his lap.

Helpless laughter
assailed Misty as she clung to him, taking in the indulgent glances of her
in-laws. "You shouldn't encourage him," she told Althea.

"Too true.
The Harrison men need very little encouragement to be arrogant." Althea
lifted a stubborn chin and nodded insistently when the men protested.

"And no
crowing from you, mama-to-be." Luc kissed Misty's hair and held her
closer.

The evening was
one of the happiest and most carefree Misty could remember.

That night after
she and Luc had gone to their room, she undressed while Luc did some paperwork
in his study. Wrapped in a silk robe, she peeked in to see how he was doing and
decided not to disturb him, since he seemed to be completely absorbed.

Feeling restless,
she went down to the kitchen to get a bottle of mineral water from the
refrigerator. But when she opened the kitchen door, she saw that the light was
on.

"Come in and
shut the door," Luc's father greeted her. He was wearing Luc's maroon
robe, and his hair was still damp from a shower. "Althea's asleep, or I
wouldn't be down here. She's trying to break me of my nocturnal eating
habits." He chuckled and, sticking his head inside the refrigerator,
brought out two plastic-wrapped packages. "Turkey, chicken, or ham?"
he offered.

Misty chuckled.
"Actually, I'd rather have some mineral water and unsalted crackers."

James nodded.
"Ah, yes. Easier on the digestion."

"But I've
always enjoyed raiding the refrigerator." She refrained from telling him
that scrounging for food at night when her parents were sound asleep had been
the only way to avoid the constant carping that had become habitual during
mealtimes in the Carver home.

"Good."
James Harrison paused, then grimaced. "My dear, forgive me. I've been
rude. This is your home, and I've encroached. My children are used to my
eccentricities, but you—"

"I want you
to feel completely at home," she assured him, taking the meat packages
from his hands, then retrieving pickles and other condiments from the
refrigerator.

James kissed her
cheek and gently pushed her into a chair. "I'll be the waiter."

When they settled
down at last, they had a table full of food from which to choose, plus milk and
mineral water to drink.

"Mystique,"
James began, swallowing a bite of a chicken sandwich, "I have never seen
my son so relaxed and carefree. I noticed in the last few years that he'd
become colder and more cynical. I didn't think he would ever find the happiness
he's found with you." He patted her hand.

Misty flushed
with pleasure. "I didn't think we would be so happy, either." She
shrugged. "We seemed poles apart at first."

She and her
father-in-law chatted easily on a variety of subjects. Misty was pleased to
have this chance to get to know James better. In some ways he was so like Luc;
in other ways he was very different. Comparing the two men fascinated her.

They had just
finished eating when a voice said from the doorway, "So here you
are." Luc was standing there, glaring at his father. Now what was wrong?
Misty wondered.

James chuckled.
"Feathers ruffled?"

"A
little," Luc admitted, going behind Misty's chair and leaning over her.
"I didn't know you were hungry, darling."

"Want a
cracker?" she asked.

He took the
cracker she offered him, then pulled a chair up close to hers.

"I thought
your wife might enjoy a little intelligent conversation," James told his
son. "I don't imagine she gets much, living with you."

Misty laughed and
Luc glowered as his father rose from the table and leaned over to kiss her on
top of the head. "My dear, we will do this again. I enjoyed it."

"Don't count
on it," Luc retorted.

"Thank
you," Misty said simultaneously.

"Good
night." James was chuckling softly as he left the kitchen.

Sudden silence
filled the room. Misty couldn't control the giggle that escaped her. Luc stared
at her, then lifted her hand to nibble on her pinky finger. "All right, so
I was jealous."

Stunned, Misty
stared at him. "You were not!"

He moved his
mouth to her next finger and nodded without looking up. "Yes, I was. Why
do you think Dad was enjoying himself so much? He knew."

"Luc."
Misty was confused.

"It's
stupid, I know, but I didn't want him feeding you down here. I wanted to do
it."

As Misty stared
at his scowling face, a surge of love swept over her. "Your father was
already here when I arrived," she explained. "I came for some
mineral water and crackers." She leaned forward and kissed him on the
nose.

Before she could
pull back, he slid his mouth over hers. "Do you want more crackers?"
he whispered.

"No,"
she whispered back.

"Good."
He stood up and pulled her from her chair. "Shall I bring the mineral
water upstairs?"

"Not unless
you want some," Misty murmured, leaning against him.

"No, I'm
fine. But the next time you want something, tell me and I'll get it for
you," he insisted, a mulish look returning to his face.

"That's fine
with me." Misty felt kitten-comfortable cuddled to his chest, yet she was
tingling with excitement because she knew Luc was going to make love to her
when they returned to their room.

CHAPTER TEN

It was the
evening before the event that Luc, his
father, and his brothers-in-law had begun calling "the Stampede," the
coming-out party for Misty's sisters. Misty had been deliriously happy all day.
She and Luc had met with Dr. Mellon for two hours, and she'd begun to hope that
her fears regarding motherhood might someday be put to rest. She intended to
continue to meet with the doctor at least once a month during her pregnancy.

She'd been
flattered and surprised by the reactions of Luc's family to her pregnancy. Alice had insisted on planning a baby shower to be held at the family's Long Island
country club.

"With three
hundred guests, you can be sure," Ted had whispered to her.

Her sisters had
been thrilled to learn about the baby. They, had come to New York to visit and
dragged her to F.A.O. Schwarz, where they'd tried to talk her into buying a
six-foot-tall stuffed bear. She'd laughed and shaken her head.

"I suppose
Misty is right," Celia had finally conceded. "It might scare, the
baby."

For some time now
Mrs. Wheaton had been preparing meals according to the diet Luc and Dr. Wagner
had worked out together, despite Misty's protests.

Dr. Wagner had
taken Misty aside. "Indulge him on this, Misty. He's so worried about
you."

"But I'm as
normal as can be."

"I know, but
he's so used to being in control, and having this baby is one thing he
can't
control. He needs
to feel he's taking part somehow."

"Not
Luc!" Misty was incredulous.

"Oh, yes,
Luc," Dr. Wagner had insisted, laughing.

Now, as Misty
packed their clothes for a weekend on Long Island with his family, she smiled
to herself.

"You'd
better be thinking about me," Luc murmured directly behind her, making her
jump. He slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her back against him.
"That dreamy expression had better be for me."

"It is. But
I didn't expect you home for another two hours."

"I know. But
I started to miss you and decided to come home and help you pack."

Misty turned in
his arms and lifted a hand to his cheek. "We're only going for the
weekend. There isn't much to pack."

His arms closed around
her. "You aren't supposed to do any lifting. Yesterday Mrs. Wheaton said
she found you cleaning the bathroom."

"Luc, I was
only wiping around the tub after my shower."

"That's what
we hire people to do. A cleaning woman comes in three days a week."

Misty stared up
at his truculent expression and laughed. "I love your little-boy
look."

He leaned closer,
his nose rubbing hers. "I like hearing you say things like that." He
stared at her for a moment, his eyes going over her face and hair before
returning to her mouth. "I don't suppose you love the little boy behind
the little-boy look."

"I don't
love the little boy," Misty agreed, seeing a flicker of emotion in his
eyes, "but I do love the man." She finished in a barely audible
voice, feeling as if the few remaining barriers between them had abruptly
fallen away.

Luc's arms fell
to his sides, and a muscle in his mouth twitched.

"Luc,"
Misty whispered, feeling the blood drain from her face. He must be angry with
her for saying those words, for threatening to destroy the casual rapport they
shared by declaring her love.

But to her relief
he touched her chin with one finger and said, "And will you stay with me
always?"

"You told me
only ninety years," she said.

"Now I want
ninety-five."

"Is this a
bargain?"

"Yes. I love
you, Mystique Harrison, and I never thought it would mean so much to hear you
say you love me. You did say that, didn't you?"

"I
did."

"Angel..."
His voice broke. "Would you like to renew our vows in a church?"

Misty blinked.
"Oh! I never thought... Well, yes, I would."

"Good. I
want to be married five times—in three churches, one chapel, and a
garden," Luc said lazily, not taking his eyes from her face.

Misty felt the
power of his passion like a physical force that threatened to overwhelm her. "Luc,
sometimes I'm frightened by the intensity of our feeling for one another."

"But you
trust me, don't you, darling?"

"In every
possible way."

The brilliance of
his smile dazzled her. "We're getting there, aren't we, love?" he
said. "Step by step, word by word?"

She nodded, too
filled with emotion to speak. Feeling suddenly shy, she sought to direct the
conversation to a lighter subject. "Do you think my sisters will have a
good time tonight?"

He let his hands
fall to her waist but didn't pull her closer. "Yes, I think the girls will
have a good time. My sisters will have invited every eligible young man of a
suitable age in the whole county for them."

"Ummm. No
one ever did that for me," she quipped, glancing flirtatiously up at him.
It surprised her to see irritation cross his face. "Can't you take a
joke?" she chided.

"Not about
you, I can't."

"Silly."
She stretched up to kiss his chin.

Being sure of his
love gave her such confidence. She felt completely at ease with him. And all of
a sudden she wanted to tell him everything about her past. They would have no
secrets from each other ever again—nothing but complete honesty from this day
forward.

"Luc,"
she began, "you once told me you didn't want to know anything about
Richard and Leonard, but I want to tell you about them now. I don't want to
hurt you, but I do want to settle once and for all any doubts you might have
about me because of them."